Clothes line reel and pin box.



1 E. T. ENERSON.

CLOTHES LINE REEL ANT) PIN BOX.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. 1909. V 943, 25, Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

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- E. T. ENBRSON,

CLOTHES LINE REEL AND PIN BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1909.

v Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

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ENOCH T. ENERSON, OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN.

CLOTHES LINE REEL AND PIN BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENOOH T. ENERsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes Line Reels and Pin Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes line reels and clothes pin boxes.

The object of my invention is, to provide an inclosed reel, arranged to carry a clothes line, so constructed that the same may be wound up, to be securely housed when not in use.

A further object is to provide a clothes line reel, which may be conveniently attached to a fence, wall or post, the reel being held upon a freely swinging carrier that may be swung into and out of the containing housing, the housing serving as a receptacle for the pins used to secure the fabric and the clothes to the line.

With these and other objects in view the present inventions consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a front view of the reel as housed. Fig. 2 is a view showing one end of the housing removed. Fig. 3 is a view partly in section showing the reel thrown out of the box. Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary portion of one of the support ing pins and reel arms. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached detail of one of the l lne supporting hooks. Fig. 6 shows the position of the reel when the line is drawn taut. Fig. 7 is a detached top view of the drum.

My invention relates to a reel to be used in winding hemp, cotton or like pliable clothes lines, and comprises a four sided housing 5, having the obliquely held lid 6, which has the strip 7, overlapping the upper edge of the housing. This lid is secured by means of the hinges 8, while secured to the back of the housing, is the bracket 9,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 10, 1909.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910. Serial No. 501,250.

by means of which the receptacle is secured to a suitable support. 4

The front panel near each upper end is slotted at two points, as shown at 10, these slots entering from above and extending downward a suitable distance as shown. Transversely spanning each slot 10, is a supporting 01' pivot pin 12, these pins being slightly flared at the ends, and being secured by means of the staples 13 as shown in Fig. 5. The flared ends insure the pins being properly held. Each pin 12 pivotally supports a hanger, these hangers being marked 15 and 15', each hanger having an upper bearing 16 and a lower bearing 17, the bearings 16 containing the pivot pins 12. Itevolubly held within the bearings 17 of the hanger 15 is the drum shaft 18 having the squared projecting end 19 arranged to receive a suitable operating crank 20 as shown.

Secured to the shaft 18 is the drum 21, this drum at one end being provided with the ratchet 22. One of the hangers as the one marked 15, near its upper end is provided with the bearing enlargement 23 holding the pin 24E which pin pivotally carries the pawl 25 while secured to the upper end of this hanger is the screw 27 holding the spring 28 in engagement with the pawl 25 as clearly disclosed. The crank 20 is arranged to be attached to the drum shaft when this drum is to be wound.

In referring to the drawings it will be noted that the drum shaft 18 is of a length less than the length of the housing so that this shaft may be freely swung into and out of the housing. In its normal position within the housing, the drum 21 is in frictional engagement with one of the vertical sides of the housing in which condition the rearwardly projecting end 11 of the pawl 25 is in contact with the housing so that the pawl is thrown out of engagement with the ratchet, while the drum is held within the housing.

At the point where the clothes line is to be supported I secure an especially constructed sheave hook comprising the recurved end 31 and the securing eye 32 this hook carrying the pin 33 upon which is mounted the sheave 341 over which the line is passed, and which supports the line at the point of suspension.

The housing is of such a size that the lower portion thereof serves as a receptacle for the clothes pins used in securing the fabrics and clothes to the line.

The housing having been secured at a suitable point and the reel having been provided with a cotton or other line the operation of my device is as follows. The lid 6 is opened when the clothes line 40 is drawn out and carried to the first point of suspension when the line is placed upon one of the sheaves 84 of one of the sheave hooks.

lVhile the line is being unwound from the reel, the reel revolves in frictional engagement with the front panel of the housing. Should the line be suddenly jerked, sulficiently to carry the reel out of the housing, the pawl 25 will at once drop in the ratchet to secure the drum. The drum being arranged to frictionally engage the side of the housing, insures the line unwinding practically without any slack, so that no part of the line will drag upon the ground and become soiled. As soon as the end of the clothes line a0 has been secured to the terminal point of suspension, the operator throws the reel out of the housing, so that the drum engages the outer vertical face of the lions ing as shown in Fig. 3. In this position of the drum the pawl 25 will be in engagement with the ratchet so that there will be no further giving out or unwinding the line. This arrangement then provides a tension mechanism in that the line may be drawn down a certain distance while the clothes are being secured to the same. The extent to which the clothes line may be d awn downward depends upon the distance the reel can be carried upward. In Fig. 6 I show the upper extreme position of this reel when the same is wound to tighten up the line. The line is wound upon the drum while the same is held upon the outside of the casing in which condition the pawl will be in engagement with the ratchet permitting a proper coiling of the line.

When not in use the line as well as the reel operating mechanism is entirely held within the housing so that no parts thereof are exposed. The device further is neat, simple of construction and positive of operation, and the line may be withdrawn or wound upon the reel with ease, despatch and accuracy.

And having thus described my said inven tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1." The combination with a housing, of two hangers pivotally secured within said housing, a drum carried by said hangers, a ratchet secured to said drum, and a pawl secured to one of said hangers, said pawl contacting with said housing to escape said ratchet, as and in a manner set forth.

2. The combination with a housing, of two hangers pivotally secured within said housing and arranged to be swung out of said housing, a shaft carried by said hangers, a drum carried by said shaft and normally resting against one side of said housing, a ratchet secured to said drum, and a pawl secured to one of said hangers, said pawl contacting with said housing to escape said ratchet while said drum is held within said housing.

3. The combination with a housing, of two hangers pivotally secured within said housing and being arranged to be swung out of said housing, a shaft carried by said hangers, a drum carried by said shaft and normally resting against one side of said housing, said hangers being secured to one vertical side of said housing, a ratchet secured to said drum, a pawl secured to one of said hangers said pawl being arranged to contact with said housing in one of the positions of said reel, and a spring working against said pawl.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ENOCH T. ENERSON.

Vitnesses O. R. SKAAR, IRMA PUST. 

